The ski season may be over at Pine Mountain, but the resort’s mountain bike trails will be welcoming enthusiasts from all over this spring and beyond.
The trail network is among the newest amenities at Pine Mountain Ski and Golf Resort since the Storie Co. purchased the property a few years ago and began a multi-million-dollar million renovation and expansion.
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Pine Mountain Ski and Golf ResortHistoric photos of the ski resort can be found on the walls of the new cabins.Last December, 34 new guest cabins opened, offering skiers the luxury of skiing from their accommodations to the lifts.
And a new four-acre green space is being developed as a community-gathering space, with lawn chairs and fire pits.
“People love to see the new owners coming in and investing in the property,” says Janet Novak, the resort's general manager. “Pine Mountain has been around for many, many years. People are excited about the investment in the Iron Mountain area and the jobs it’s created.”
What’s happening: The Storie Co., an Indianapolis-based company specializing in hotel and resort properties, began an expansion and renovation project at Pine Mountain shortly after purchasing the property
in 2022. Most planned improvements have been completed. Pine Mountain, one of the oldest ski areas in the Upper Peninsula, was ready for an infusion of capital and for “some energy and vision,” company officials said in announcing the expansion. Plans included developing mountain bike trails, adding new guest cabins, creating community green space and configuring a tubing hill.
Bike Trails: The mountain bike trails opened last year and were created in partnership with the Dickinson Trail Network. The network’s Pine Mountain Trail system is located on the resort property and on Dickinson County land west of the Pine Mountain Ski Jump, the largest ski jump in the United States.
The trails are a mix of new school machine-built flowy jump trails and the old school rough and rocky singletrack. Trail difficulties vary from smooth and gentle for beginners to expert-only trails with jumps and drops. A lift is being reconfigured this season to take riders to the top. “We’re excited about this,” says Troy Schroeder, who is vice president of asset management at Storie Co. “We’ve been taking people to the top by van. This will make a big difference.”
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Pine Mountain Ski and Golf ResortThe bedroom in one of the new cabins. At some cabins, skiers can ski out the door to the lifts.The cabins: The new guest cabins opened in December; most of them offer ski-out options and also are located close to the golf course as well. Options include studio, two-bed and full cabins. “They’re beautifully designed and the interiors gorgeous,” Novak says. “The cabins have fireplaces and on the walls are historical photos from the lodge back in the 1950s. It’s nice to show some of our history.”
Additional accommodations were needed to meet growing demand at the resort. There are an additional 55 rooms at the resort. Pine Mountain’s main lodge was built in the 1950s; other resort accommodations were constructed before then. Pine Mountain is the only ski-in/ski-out resort in the Upper Peninsula.
Green space: A Brownfield building was demolished before winter and the site is being prepped to create a four-acre green space. The space will function as a park and the resort is contemplating creating an amphitheater-style space. The space will be available for the local community to host events and be outdoors.
Tubing hill: The tubing hill is in the works and is expected to be open in time for the next ski season.
“We’ve always had skiing and golf but we’re bringing in other activities – ATVs, mountain biking, and tubing,” Schroeder says. “It really revitalized the resort and spurred some new interest, not just from locals but people who have been coming here for years. There's excitement here with the new ownership.”
What’s next: The resort plans to have all-terrain vehicles available for rent this summer, so guests can use nearby trails. Efforts are underway to expand the resort’s food and beverage service and open a biergarten.
About Pine Mountain: The resort traces its beginnings to a member of the Pabst Brewing Co. Fred Pabst cleared and opened Pine Mountain in the late 1930s to promote the sale of his lift product, Ski Tows, Inc. That lift involved two tow ropes that were powered by an automobile (an attendant was controlling the speed with the accelerator). The Storie Co. 's expansion marks the biggest investment in the resort since 2019, when a $10 million acquisition and renovation (of all lodge rooms, condos and common areas) occurred. The resort’s famed TimberStone* Golf Course was completed in 1996 with a price tag above $12 million.
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